GaryvdM Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I wrote this to them. I'm trying very hard to get them to see our point of view. I tried very hard to not include any personal attacks, but I think 1 or 2 veiled ones might have slipped trough. Public letter to Jackie Bezuidenhout and Stan Bezuidenhouthttps://www.facebook.com/jackiejshttps://www.facebook.com/stansb.zaWhats up Guys.Jackie: you just called me a "pest that should be poisoned" and a **** and you have never even met me. Wars have been started with lesser insults, but I'm going to ignore that for here on.1. Stan: It is perfectly legal to cycle on a national road (but not on highways.) You have mixed up national roads with highways. National roads are often highways, but not always.2. Stan: You make a generalization about cyclists breaking the law. But what about motorists. On my daily commute (some times by car, sometimes by bicycle), I see far more motorists breaking the law (speeding, jumping robots, stopping where the should not, passing other vehicles when it is not safe to do so) than I see cyclists breaking the law. So if I were to say that motorists break the law, and you are a motorist, so you break the law, would that be correct? No. So don't do the same to cyclists.3. How would you react if I started swinging a knife at you. I think you would be very pissed off. How would you react if I got in you way in a shop. Well you might get a bit irritated that I have delayed you, but if you did you should and would probably pull you neck in. Well it's the same on the road. When a motorist speeds, performs an unsafe overtake, or otherwise forces a cyclist off the road, they are using there 1.5 ton vehicle as a lethal weapon against the cyclist. If you are putting someones life at risk, it's understandable that they get annoyed, irritated or angry. But what about when a cyclist takes the primary position in the lane, or rides abreast with another cyclist. Yes they may delay a motorist in getting to the next red traffic light, and in some cases (but not all) it's inconsiderate to the poor motorist. But they are not putting the motorist's life at risk.You have this nice graphic on you website estimating the cost, fatalities, and injuries due to the road carnage on South African roads. I don't think I would be far off if I were to guess that most, if not all of that was caused due to accidents caused by motorists, and very little caused by pedestrians and cyclists. Can you not see that motorists are the problem. (But I guess you have a conflict of interest because if there were no road accidents, you would need to find a different job.)Seriously guys: I try to not be a wanker. I hope you will do the same: https://www.facebook.com/SafeCyclingAustralia/videos/866367293410675/
Maj Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I wonder what would happen if all of us cyclists made and posted video clips of non-cyclists being mean or threatening, where the cyclist responds politely and with good humour (obviously i'm excluding accident scenarios); and every time someone made a negative comment about cyclists/cycling, cyclists would respond with something like 'why don't you come out on a club ride sometime and see what it's really about...' Anger is understandable, but it can lead to deepening a hole that someone else has dug for you...
HBO Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I wrote this to them. I'm trying very hard to get them to see our point of view. I tried very hard to not include any personal attacks, but I think 1 or 2 veiled ones might have slipped trough. Nice letter Gary. Did you receive any reply yet?
HeyYou Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 Don't have time right now to google, but: Who appoints an accident investigator? Perhaps they should be led to this thread. I'm sure bias is bad for business.
fanievb Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 Mod note: Let's refrain from personal attacks and stick to the issue. Posting comments like this on social media is idiotic and as a cyclist it is infuriating, but lets keep our discussion on the matter out of the gutter. I indeed got a bit worked up, Sorry http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-WA821_0117la_E_20130117211030.jpg
Dicky DQ Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I KNOW I WILL NEED TO RUN FOR COVER for this one,,,,,,,,,say they were not calling us pests, they "should" statistically know what WE as cyclists know, WE RIDE LIKE PLANKS there are more than enough threads and cycle clubs slated to confirm this(many ride like planks)we have all been on club rides please dont start the NOT ME,,,,YOU KNOW SOMEONE,, IF ITS NOT YOU, since they do this for a living I ASSume they have more figures and facts than we do, we only hear of the high profile accidents and when a hubber falls( very small % of the stats I can only ASSume they have access to) IM NOT SAYING THEY CAN SAY WE PESTS, THEY HATE US AND AND ,,,,,IM SAYING THEY MUST HAVE SOME SCARY STATSI totally agree, most of us just get out knickers in a knot as attack is the best form of defense.
Patchelicious Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I totally agree, most of us just get out knickers in a knot as attack is the best form of defense.Some, some of us....
Patchelicious Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I indeed got a bit worked up, Sorry http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-WA821_0117la_E_20130117211030.jpgCoffee keyboard! Something about that guy that tickles my funny bone.
GaryvdM Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 Nice letter Gary. Did you receive any reply yet?I just posted it, so not yet. I will let you know if I do.
Karooryder Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 They say one should always see the bigger picture, even on Facebook...and then one thing leads to another and one notices that this classy lady reads the Facebook "news page" of the highly intellectual Sunette Bridges. Touche m'lady...
BDF Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 The thing about public (call it social) media is that people seem to bang out a rant on the twitter/facebook/instagram etc when they are in the throws of an emotional hi-jack. After it is in the public domain they think: "Oh dear, I have just made a giant Richard (Dick) Cranium of myself, what ever shall I do?" then they go through all the stupid arguments as to why they are entitled to be a Wayne Kerr but realise that the public now see their stupidity. So they quickly erase the offending comment only to be thwarted by the dozens of places that have the comment indelibly stored somewhere. Their box-hood is now entrenched in society. The only escape is to actually admit it - therein lies their only redemption from the human heap of poo that they have become. Rant over.
HappyMartin Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I agree with you BDF. All it takes is one goat.
CMK Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 The thing about public (call it social) media is that people seem to bang out a rant on the twitter/facebook/instagram etc when they are in the throws of an emotional hi-jack. After it is in the public domain they think: "Oh dear, I have just made a giant Richard (Dick) Cranium of myself, what ever shall I do?" then they go through all the stupid arguments as to why they are entitled to be a Wayne Kerr but realise that the public now see their stupidity. So they quickly erase the offending comment only to be thwarted by the dozens of places that have the comment indelibly stored somewhere. Their box-hood is now entrenched in society. The only escape is to actually admit it - therein lies their only redemption from the human heap of poo that they have become. Rant over. But it makes for good Friday material
BDF Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 But it makes for good Friday material Should add it to the Friday topics thread!
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